Health

[Brian DeGennaro]

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts on health and mass gain are. Is rapid mass gain a particularly healthy endeavor, even if it is only for a quick 10-20lbs over the course of a few months? Is gradual mass gain more desirable? As Mike OD said in a thread below "If large gains in body weight is the goal......embrace the sin of gluttony.....or take steroids." To tie that in to my first statement, will these few months of gluttony take their toll in the long run?

[Dave Van Skike]

Originally Posted by Brian DeGennaro

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts on health and mass gain are. Is rapid mass gain a particularly healthy endeavor, even if it is only for a quick 10-20lbs over the course of a few months? Is gradual mass gain more desirable? As Mike OD said in a thread below "If large gains in body weight is the goal......embrace the sin of gluttony.....or take steroids." To tie that in to my first statement, will these few months of gluttony take their toll in the long run?

i'll bet dollars to donuts no one really can be sure. At your age it's probably safer than not...in terms of bodycomp you're pumping out amounts of testosterone naturally that guys over 30 would need a prescription for so if you're under 25 the time is now.

I hate to say this but I have a sneaking suspicion that unless someone is well outside the average height and build parameters of a male human (over 6'3) it's not particularly "healthy" to be much over 200 pounds period, even at low bodyfat.

[Donald Lee]

I think as long as you understand that connective tissue are slower to adapt to training stimuli than muscle rapid mass gain shouldn't be too much of a problem (e.g., You shouldn't start lifting HEAVY all time all of a sudden just because you got big and strong.) From other health perspectives, I don't know.

[Mike ODonnell]

Few months probably won't be devastating.....esp if you are under 25 like Dave said. The question then becomes....after you are done, and go back to a "healthier" way of eating which will include less calories....and try to burn excess fat....are you really thinking that you will keep much of that weight gain in the end?

A slow and steady muscle gain is always better than the old school of bulking up/cutting down IMO for "health" reasons.....cause in the end you still probably only end up with a few extra lbs of muscle over a couple months. But the slow and steady way may also help keep insulin resistance factors low and be kinder to your gut.

In the end.....you may find your healthy natural bodyweight in and around say 180-190lbs rather than 220 (just using round numbers). Then it just comes down to your own personal decision of what weight you want and why. If you like feeling bloated all day at 220lbs....then go for it....been there, done that...much happier and leaner now.

[Kevin Perry]

Doing the bulk thing just sucks if you have a mild lactose problem and get sick easily from certain foods, I can't even stomach protein shakes without feeling bloated, constipated, and just sick all day.

I try to look at it this way, even though some of us are young and can probably handle a couple phases of throwing that food down your throat, is it really worth it feeling like crap day in and day out only for a few solid pounds of muscle? Im finding much more success recently from using zone guidelines/paleo guidelines and adjusting from there. Feel better, more energy, and weight gain can be adjusted. As a result, my own body weight is steady climbing back up.

I can't even manage to keep with mass gain like that half the time because life is so busy and im tired of feeling like shit all the time.

[Mike ODonnell]

Read this....possibly the best nutrition article on mass gain/bodybuilding.....ever.......
http://www.westonaprice.org/men/splendidspecimens.html

Learn to love eggs....lots of them.....and go buy some digestive enzymes....may help reduce bloating.